Lily Flower
by silvertiger12
Summary: Girls loved James. Guys loved James. Teachers loved James. So why didn't Lily love James? It was one of the unsolved mysteries of the world. One that James was constantly trying to uncover.
1. Chapter 1

_Lily Flower_

_Chapter One: Lily Things _

"Lily flower, flower of my soul, of my world, of my –"

"Potter. Go away. And don't come back until you've actually learned how to be a semi-decent poet."

"Does this mean you won't go out with me?"

"Yes, Potter. That's exactly what it means."

"But Lilykins-" before James had another chance to try and stun Lily with his glorious poetic ness, she had stomped off. James resolved to become a better poet.

James turned to Sirius. "Why does she always do that?" he complained.

"I dunno, mate, PMS?" Sirius suggested.

"But how could Lily have PMS every single time I ask her out?" James asked.

"It's just one of those Lily Things." Sirius said.

James sighed.

Lily Things were unexplainable things that Lily Evans did.

For instance, turning down James Potter's repeated offers to take Lily to Hogsmeade. No one in her, or his, right mind turned down James Potter. It was most definitely a Lily Thing.

Girls loved James. Guys loved James. Teachers loved James.

So why didn't Lily love James? It was one of the unsolved mysteries of the world. One that James was constantly trying to uncover.

James couldn't understand why Lily wouldn't go out with him. He was, after all, a devilishly handsome, charming, funny, person to be around. Not to mention his famed Quidditch Skills.

And yet, for some reason, Lily thought he was an arrogant, annoying, childish… creature.

What was the sense in that?

James knew that Lily would eventually come to him. She just needed a little convincing.

"James!" Remus called from the entrance of the Gryffindor Common Room. "Time for class! You don't want to be late!"

"No," James muttered. "_You_ don't want to be late."

James brightened considerably when he realized that Lily was in his transfiguration class. He hurried to catch up with Remus, Sirius, and Peter.

"You are late. Again." McGonagall's words were stern as always.

"Sorry Professor. My watch is a few minutes slow." Remus quickly answered before any of his friends could answer for them. James and Sirius' lines, however funny, never got them out of detention.

"5 points from Gryffindor. You may take your seats." McGonagall nodded curtly to the Marauders.

Sirius made a face and mouthed to James. "How come she always lets him off easy?"

James shrugged as he scanned the class for Lily. Ah. There she was, looking totally hot and sitting next to Ted Tonks, a light brown-haired Gryffindor. No worries then. Tonks was hardly James' competition.

James took a seat next to Sirius.

"This is boring." Sirius said as soon as James sat down. "Let's play How-Many-Seconds!"

Remus whacked Sirius' head with a book. "If you paid attention in class, not only would it solve your boredom problem, but it would also keep you from getting in trouble, which you do every time you play that ridiculous game you and James made up!"

"The object of How-Many-Seconds is to see how many seconds you can goof off for _without_ getting in trouble." James pointed out.

Remus opened his mouth and then shut it: His brilliance was totally wasted on the rest of the Marauders. So instead of giving a long and complicated reply, Remus settled for whacking Sirius' head again with the book.

"Ow!" Sirius exclaimed loudly. "That hurt!" he waved his hand in the air.

"You walked into that one, mate," whispered James into Remus' ear. Remus groaned.

"Yes?" McGonagall turned her disapproving stare onto Sirius.

"Remus just hit me!" Sirius complained.

"Does this have anything to do with subject we're working on?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Well, see, -"

James put his feet up on the desk and leaned back to watch the show.

* * *

Lily relaxed back on her favorite chair in the Common Room and sighed happily. She'd just completed all her homework due tomorrow, which meant that tomorrow she could start working on her homework for the next few days. That way, by the weekend she would be homework free!

"It's my turn! I claimed it first!" Mallory said.

"But she promised me!" argued Garrett.

"Did not"

"Did too"

"Did not"

"Did too"

"I have an idea, let's ask her and then we'll see who's really right!"

Mallory and Garrett who were part of Lily's circle of Gryffindor friends entered the Gryffindor Common Room and stopped in front of Lily.

"Lily, tell her that you promised me!" Garrett said.

"But I claimed it first! So it doesn't matter whether or not she promised you, because I _claimed_ it!"

"She's just making that up so she gets to go first!" Garrett pointed a finger accusingly at Mallory.

"Did not! Remember, this morning at breakfast, I told you "I claim it first!" She's mine!" Mallory pointed at Lily and tossed her long brown hair.

"What are you two talking about?" Lily asked, frustrated.

"HOMEWORK!" both Mallory and Garrett said at the same time.

"Oh."

"So…" Mallory asked.

"So what?"

"So who's going first?" Garret asked impatiently.

"Does it really matter?" asked Lily. "Both of you hand me your homework, and I'll return it by dinner."

"Okay, fine." Garrett handed his homework over to Lily. "But who won! Did you or did you not promise to do my homework first!"

"You two are so juvenile sometimes." Lily shook her head.

"She's stalling!" Garrett turned to Mallory triumphantly. "That means that I won and she just doesn't want to admit it because you're her best friend!"

"No! What it really means is that she just doesn't want to tell you the truth –that you lost- because she doesn't want to hear you whine and burst into tears."

"I never whine! And I never burst into tears!" Garrett whined.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

Lily had learned long ago to tune them out. They could go on for _hours_ arguing. And if they didn't have anything to argue about, they argued about not arguing.

Homework was Garrett and Mallory's favorite thing to argue about. It was their tradition. Just as it had been an established tradition since Second Year for Lily to help her friends with their Potions homework, and for them to help her with Herbology and Astronomy homework; both of which she was currently failing.

"So how was transfiguration?" Mallory abruptly changed the subject.

"Okay. Black and Potter were, as usual, total ass holes, Lupin, as usual, did nothing to stop it, and Pettigrew, as usual, cheered both Black and Potter on. All in all, it was a usual Transfiguration class. Why?"

"Just wondering. I'd overhead Black boasted how he'd gotten detention for the next three days…"

"Serves him right." muttered Lily.

"I only wish it had been longer. Like a year. Imagine… a whole year without seeing Black… Or Potter… or Pettigrew…" Mallory said dreamily.

"That would be heaven," Lily laughed.

"You two are so _obsessed_ with hating those guys." Garrett said in disgust.

"Uh uh. Don't you start ragging on us for hating the Marauders!" Mallory held her arms out as if trying to ward him off.

"I'm not saying the Marauders aren't jerks, but you are obsessing a little too much about them." Garrett said.

As Mallory opened her mouth to retaliate, Lily picked up a book and started reading. They would get her attention when they were done arguing.

* * *

"The fact remains, Padfoot, that I, the Great and Terrible Prongs, still hold the longest record in How-Many-Seconds." James nicely explained to Sirius.

"Mmm." Sirius made a noise of grudging consent. "But my performance today was _still_ pretty good wasn't it?" Sirius grinned cockily.

"It was indeed, Padfoot, it was indeed… You only got three days worth of detention, and that was on McGonagall's watch."

"Lily Evans, coming this way." Remus yawned sleepily not caring at all that James was either 1. About to make an utter fool of himself 2. About to get into a huge argument with Lily or 3. Both of the above. Remus would have bet a large sum of galleons that it was #3.

And there she was. Lily Evans. Looking as gorgeous as ever.

"Yo Evans!" James called out as his vision of loveliness passed by.

Lily would have continued walking past Potter and the Marauders if Mallory, Garrett and her friend Olivia hadn't stopped and turned to confront Potter.

"Ignore him. He's being a prick as always." Lily tried grabbing her friends' arms and tugging them back but it was no use. Olivia, Garrett, and Mallory strode over to where the Marauders were standing.

"Do you have something to say to Lily?" Garrett crossed his arms and stared up threateningly at James.

Seeing them, Lily almost laughed out loud.

There was Garrett, who didn't reach over 5'2, pulling the tough-act on James Potter who was not only over 6' feet, but was also Captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team and had muscles to show for it.

James looked unnerved though. "Um, yeah. Yeah, I do." James ran his hand nervously through his hair. He had -of course- thought of absolutely nothing to say to Lily.

"Well? We're waiting?" Garrett tapped his foot impatiently.

"Will you hold on for a moment!" snapped Sirius. "James is obviously trying to think!"

James silently groaned. Sirius was not helping one bit.

"_Trying_, being the key word of that sentence." Mallory said.

"I have better things to do today." Lily said disgustedly, turning away.

"Like what?" James said snidely. He couldn't help it! Seriously, he couldn't! James had been at a loss of what to say, and out had popped—

"Like what! More important things than you, that's for sure!" Lily exclaimed angrily.

"For you information I have incredibly important things to do today." James lied.

"Oh yes," Lily said sarcastically. "I forgot about your busy schedule. Hexing every person that crosses your path, taunting First Years, and meeting with the James Potter Fan Club… it's a wonder you ever find time to admire yourself in the mirror."

"At least I have fun in life. You're always Little Miss Stuck Up Prude." James watched as Lily's face turned bright red and knew he had struck a nerve.

WHACK!

James didn't have time to dodge Lily's slap.

Ouch. That hurt.

"James. James are you all right?" Remus asked worriedly.

A rather stunned James was gingerly touching his face and wincing where Lily had slapped him.

"Atta girl Lily!" Garrett cheered.

"Thank you." Lily looked –and felt- rather self-satisfied. "Now, may we please go? As I said before, I have _things to do today_!" Lily stomped off.

Garrett made a 'who-understands-girls' face at Sirius, Remus, and James before turning to follow Mallory, Olivia, and Lily.

* * *

First chapter! Tell me what you think!

Rachel aka SilverTiger

ps. For any of you who've read my other story Could it be Love, this is not related in any way! This story takes place in Hogwarts with new friends, new adventures and new stories to be told! On the subject, of Could it be Love, though, I am thinking about a short sequel... But I haven't decided yet.

Thank you for reading my first chapter! Please review!


	2. Chapter Two: What have I done?

**Chapter Two: What have I done?**

"Oh, looky here. It's our lucky day, girls." Megan Parkinson said sweetly. Her fellow Slytherins tittered behind her. "We've just run into our favorite little Gryffindor."

"Excuse me." Lily tried to step around Parkinson but to no avail, she was blocked by who-knows-how-many pounds of Slytherin flesh. "Leave me alone." Lily growled.

"What? Is Lilykins in a bad mood today?" Parkinson crooned.

"Yes," Lily said, scowling "I am."

Parkinson just smirked at her.

"Fine. I'll go a different way." Lily spun on her heel and started back down the corridor she had just come. Parkinson and group followed behind her.

"My, my. Our Lilykins is being rather rude to us? Isn't she, girls?" Parkinson said. "Lilykins, Lilykins, why aren't you nice today?"

"Maybe it's time we taught her a lesson in manners?" Laura Goyle said maliciously.

"Yes," Parkinson thoughtfully said. "I believe it is." She drew out her wand and prepared to try out a new curse that her boyfriend Lucius Malfoy had found in a book the night before. But before the words had made it past her lips, she found herself doing… a jig? Parkinson felt heat spread through her face as her idiotic friends clumsily tried to perform the counter-curse, but to no avail. God, why weren't any of her intelligent friends around? If only she could control her arms long enough to say the counter-curse herself! But now her arms were doing the Wave. It was _so_ humiliating. _There will be payback._

"Potter!" Lily Evans was screaming, "I do not need you to protect me! I can handle them" here Lily gestured to the Slytherins who were currently trying to perform a counter-curse on Parkinson. "all on my own!"

James was confused. He had just saved Lily from those nasty, slimy, Slytherins. Why was she yelling at him? Didn't most people like help in a fight?

"So, basically, what you're saying is that you would've rather us sit back and watch Parkinson hex you, than try to help." James stated.

Lily paused. When he put it like that it sounded like she was an ungrateful bitch, but… "Yes. I would've rather handled the situation on my own."

"Oh." James cocked his head to the side. "That's good to know."

"Moony, my man, our good friend Prongs is gone. _Way_ gone. Over the top gone. Totally soupy gone." Sirius said sadly, turning to Remus.

"And we care…? Why?"

"Because he's our best mate! That's why!"

"Oh."

"So, as mates, and part of the Secret Brotherhood-"

"I think we're part of a _Sacred_ Brotherhood, Sirius. Not Secret Brotherhood." Remus corrected.

"Whatever. Either way, it's our duty to get Evans to love Prongs."

"What?!" Remus said, startled.

"We want to get Evans together with Prongs." Sirius said again.

Remus considered this thoughtfully. "Well, it would mean we wouldn't have to listen to James talk in his sleep about 'His Lily, oh, his Lily!'"

"Hm." Sirius said in agreement. "Although, personally I've never heard James talk in his sleep."

"That's because you sleep like a pig." said Remus.

"Do not!"

"Yes you do. You sleep like a pig that's been hit over the head by a giant mallet."

"No," Sirius said. "I sleep like a baby. A baby that's sound asleep. A peacefully sleeping baby. A sweet innocent peacefully sleeping baby. A warm soft loved-by-everybody-"

"Don't be delusional, Sirius. Nobody loves you. We only hang around you because you're tolerably amusing."

"and everyone and the whole world loves this baby" Sirius said loudly. "And all the world wants to bow down and serve this wonderful little baby sleeping so peacefully and-"

"Sirius?"

"Yes, Remus?" Sirius answered sweetly and meekly because he was trying to sound like a sweet and meek little sleeping baby.

"Be quiet."

"Okay."

* * *

"Lucius." Megan Parkinson said by way of greeting, standing on tip-toe to lightly kiss his lips. 

"Hello, Megan." Lucius Malfoy kissed Megan lightly back, pulled away, and draped an arm around Megan and turning back to whatever conversation he'd been having before.

Megan pouted momentarily, disinterested with the conversation and displeased with the lack of attention she was receiving. She tugged gently on Lucius' arm and fiddled with his robes, trying to bring back his focus to her.

Lucius pointedly ignored her for a moment, before asking. "Yes?"

Megan looked up at him through her lashes. "I just wanted to tell you, that I might be late tonight."

"Why?" he asked slightly impatiently.

"Because," Megan said slyly, "me and Loralie have something planned for tonight."

"You're not going to get caught I hope?" Lucius drawled.

"I don't intend to."

"It would be no fun if you were in detention all night." Lucius smirked lightly, pulling Megan close and kissing her on the lips -softly at first and then a little harder- both teens knowing but not caring that they were being watched by the entire Slytherin common room.

"So you'll wait up for me?" Megan asked a little breathlessly.

"I'll see you tonight." Lucius walked off.

* * *

"So, James," Sirius asked slyly from his spot on the windowsill in the Boys Dormitory. "When are you going to ask Lily out?" 

James didn't look up from where he was sprawled over his bed, reading a Quidditch book. "I dunno. Probably at dinner tonight."

"Oh, that's good," Sirius smiled, "really good."

Now James looked at Sirius strangely. James knew that Sirius thought that he acted pathetic around Lily. This was silly of course. James always acted the height of cool around Miss Evans. "Why?" he suspiciously asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's just good. Really good. Really really good." Sirius smiled vaguely and hummed a happy tune. _Plans are going as planned_.

James shook his head and decided to ignore his loony friend's behavior. This was getting hard to do because of the volume at which Sirius was singing some damned happy cheerful song and James knew he'd be a bit more happy and cheerful if Sirius would stop singing the song.

"Sirius, will you just-!" James exclaimed finally.

"Just what?" Sirius asked, tilting his head and still smiling goofily.

"Just… be a little quieter."

Sirius looked confused. What was the word "quieter" and what did it mean?

"Quieter." James said again, holding a finger up to his lips in a "shhh" motion.

"Ah," realization dawned on Sirius. "You want to go snog Evans?"

"What?" now it was James turn to look confused.

"It's okay, I understand. There comes a time when a friend must give up his friendship in order to snog beautiful ladies and the other friend must accept this ending of friendship-"

"Goodbye, Sirius." James got up and left the room to go down to dinner. All this talk of kissing Lily was making him hungry.

James spotted Lily in the Great Hall, sitting with her friends at the table waiting for dinner to appear.

"Hey, Evans! Will you go out with me?" James asked appearing behind Lily.

Lily jumped in surprise but automatically answered "No, go away."

"Aw, come on. Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Potter, just leave her alone." said a quiet Gryffindor named Levvy. "We're hungry and we don't feel like hearing you talk."

"Yeah, so beat it Potter!" Mallory brandished her fork in James' face.

Lily laughed.

James sighed. Oh well. Better luck next time. Dejectedly he sat down next to Remus.

"Where's Sirius?" asked Remus worriedly.

"Hmm? Oh, I dunno." James answered vaguely, thinking of other things (such as why Lily would not go out with him)

"Sirius," Remus muttered under his breath. "I'm going to kill you."

Remus knew that Sirius had been concocting some "brilliant!" idea all day, but unfortunately Sirius had not divulged his plans to Remus (and therefore, Remus could not work to stop them).

Remus never did get to find out what exactly Sirius had been planning because halfway through desert he was interrupted by a high pitched screech. It was the kind of screech that vaguely forms a word if one was paying attention to the consonants and vowels in said word. Or, more precisely, said surname.

"Pooooooooooooottttttttteeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrr"

Oh, god, what have I done now? James thought in desperation. He racked his brain, but nothing specific came to mind. So as Lily stalked over to him with a murderous look on her face, James switched in random-begging-and-apologizing-mode

"No, Lily, you are mistaken," James started quite calmly as Lily closer "I didn't have a hand in it, I had no knowledge, no, no, don't look at me like that! It wasn't me! Please, Lily, I didn't mean to do it, I-I don't know what I was thinking, please don't kill me, I didn't have a choice, please don't kill me, please don't kill me, it was PEER PRESSURE!" James jumped up and wildly pointed at Remus. "He made me do it! I was under the influence of PEER PRESSURE! please don't kill me…" James finished with a pathetic whimper.

"McGonagall… said… to come… with… me…" Lily ground out the words slowly.

"Okay." James cast a frightened look at Remus, who shrugged, and motioned for James to follow Lily out of the Great Hall.

"How could you be so dumb, Potter!" Lily seethed. "How could you and your friends do something so inherently stupid!? And Remus is a Prefect!" she cried. Prefects were not supposed to do or encourage bad things! Prefects were supposed to be the standard for good behavior! Glorious beacons of justice and hope for Hogwarts! And for Remus to fail so miserably at this task made Lily want to cry more than she had when her pet rabbit died.

James said nothing, still trying to think of what inherently stupid things he and his friends had done recently. And, while the Marauders had done many inherently stupid things, James could not think of anything done recently that would make Lily so mad.

"What did I do?" James finally asked. He would like _some_ idea of what had happened before going into McGonagall's office.

"Don't play dumb with me! That's not going to get you out of trouble!" Lily continued to mutter angrily under her breath, but James ignored her.

They had arrived at McGonagall's office.

Lily knocked sharply.

"Come in."

Lily opened the door and shoved James through, following close behind. (she could not resist an opportunity to see Potter in trouble.)

"Potter, please take a seat. Miss Evans, you may leave."

Lily sighed with regret and left the room.

James took a seat.

"Mr. Potter. I assume you know why you've been called in here." McGonagall said sharply.

"No. Ma'am." James added, feeling that it was best to be polite as possible.

McGonagall sighed. "Very well. I shall begin by saying that no matter how amusing you found it, it was an inappropriate and rather crude joke."

-**To Be Continued**

Well? So what do you think? Please hit that review button! Even the shortest review makes me extremely happy!

And thank you for all the reviews I got from the last chapter! Sorry it took so long to update.

Rachel


End file.
